Streamline mount for miniature bombs



Feb. 23, 1937. c. G. TRIMBACH STREAMLINE MOUNT FOR MINIATURE BOMBS Filed April 12, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 QEEL INVENTOR. CLEMG.TRIMBACH- Feb. 23, 1937. c. e. TRIMBACH STREAMLINE MOUNT FOR MINIATURE BOMBS Filed April 12, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR. CLDM (r- TRIM BAcI-I A TT EYS.

Feb. 23, 1937. c. G. TRIMBACH I STREAMLINE MOUNT FOR MINIATURE BOMBS Filed April 12, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ma MC 1 1 W a a M J a m 6 w g w w x f w 6 7 0 J m w 6 5 3 WW a m F. 2 m

Patented Feb. 23, 1937 JPATEVNT OFFlCE STl iiEAmJNE MOUNT FOR MATURE 1 BOMBS Clem G. Trimbach, Kenmore, N. Y., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Curtiss-Wright Corporation, a corporation ofNew York Application April 12, 1934, Serial No. 720,157 I 3 Claims.

This invention relates to aircraft armament,-

, bombs. of course, represent a substantial monetary outlay, and, when it is desired to practice bomb-. ing, thedropping of one of these large bombs is I very expensive. Therefore, the subject device has been evolved to allow for the dropping of small bombs of only ten of fifteen pounds in weight for vpractice purposes. Concurrently with this device, a further advantage accrues, since a substan- I' tial number, of the small bombs may be carried and all maybe dropped consecutively in a single flight, thusallowing the aircraft crew to make five practice drops, where, ifa large bombwere used, only one could be made on asingle flight. In order to prevent the alteration of the aerodynamic characteristics of the aircraft,the mount for the miniature bombs is made in the form of larger bomb. In practice, one large bomb,- forinstance, might be carried below each wing of the craft'near the fuselage. Y By the'use of this in-' vention, one practice bomb container may be The bomb container of this invention is "also characterized by having trap .doors through which each bomb passes when dropped, these trap doors having sp hinges whereby they return to a position flush with the body of the bombcarrier after dropping of the Thereby, theaero- 5 dynamic characteristics of the. bomb carrier are r notaltered. The mechanism alsoincludes means to positivel elect each practice omb upon releasethereof; thus tending to prev t failure to release, which might be a likely-cause oftrouble due releasable locks whichare consecutively operated by-fl e operation of a single bomb release lever in the b'ombers cockpit, in the conventional manner.

Objects of the invention are to provide a carrier for a plurality of miniature bombs; to provide a novel form of bombholding and releasing mechanism; to provide means for positively ejecting the bombs from the carrier upon release thereof; to provide a carrier which will-retain its streamline conformation for best aerodynamic characteristics both before and after release of one or more'of the bombs; to provide a carrier for a plurality of miniature bombs which maybe located externally of the aircraft in lieu of a single large bomb, said carrier occupying the same position in the aircraft as a single large bomb might occupy, and being attachable to the same fittings to which the releasing mechanism for the single large. bomb is otherwise, attached.

' Further objects will be apparent from a reading of the subjoined specification and from an 20 examination of the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an aircraft wing having the bomb carrier of this invention suspended therebelow;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a portion .ofthe wing with the ,bomb carrieqsuspended therebelow;

Fig. 3 is a plan partly broken away, of the'bomb carrier, with the bombs mounted therein;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of the carrier;

,. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the carrier;

1 Fig. 6 is asection on :the line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10 are sections, respectively. on the lines I--|,.8-8, Q- tand Ill-J0 of Fig. 4;

1 Fig. 11 is a perspectivr y. ew showing the mechanism for positively eject L; the bombs from the ca'rrien Fig. 12 is asection on the line l2-l2 of Fig. 13;

Figs. 13. 14 and 15 are sections, respectively, on the lines l3'l3,-l4 --l4 and l5-l5 of Fig. 3.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, l6 represents an aircraft wing having a forward spar H and a rearward spar I8 from which, respective- 15. bomb rack fittings l9 and extend downwardly through the lower wing covering. To these fittings, a V ture bomb carrier 2| is fixedly attached; the c ier having lugs 22 and 23 bolted respectively to the fittings l9-and2lL The carrier 2|, referring in addition to the' other figures, is of hollow streamline conformation having an elliptical cross section. The'lower portion of the carrler is provided with a plurality of trap doors, a pair of forward doors :24 and. zibelng hinged at 26 and 21 toward'the outer portion: ofthecarr riergl in nr edges of the doors 24 and 25 come together substantially at the plane of symmetry of the carrier 2!. The "mid portion of the carrier,

is provided with a pair of doors 28 and 29, hinged to the carrier in a manner similar to the forward doors. The rearward portion of the carrier, being somewhat narrower than the forward portion, is

wardly' finned portion of the bomb may rest.

Each of the several doors is mounted on a spring hinge, this being typically shown in Fig. 15 at 34, a spring being organized'to normally hold the door in .a closed position flush with the outer surface of-the bomb carrier. Within the carrier, a

' central V.-shaped partition 36 extends from the ments defined by the bulkheads 31, 39' and 39',-

nose of the carrier rearwardly to a point substantially in the plane of the rear edges of the doors 29 and 29, this partition defining the latal compartments. available through thdoors I 24 and 25, and29 and 29. longitudinally spaced V bulkheads 31, '39, 39 and 49 are arranged laterally within the carrier to define the forward and rearward compartments occupied- .by theseveral In'thefront and rear of the forward compartshafts, 4| extend laterally and are borne by the v-lshaped'partltion 36 and other suitable bearings. The ends of the shafts 4i extend trans:-

verseiy-into the four forward bomb compartments and each end is provided with an arm 42 pressed downwardly by means of a spring 43. Those arms 42 at the forward end of each bomb compartment ward end of each bomb compartment carry a cross member with upturned ends adapted to engage against the fins 46 ofa contained-bomb.

are provided with an arcuate end member 44 to bear upon the forward circular portion of a contained bomb, while those arms 42 toward the rear Eachshaft4l has astop lug 41 which engages a pin '43 mounted on the partition 36, whereby the downward. travel of the arms 42 is limited to the extent that said arms may not touch against the trap doors therebelow. It will thus be seen that, when a trap door is-opened, a bomb may be ,in-

. serted against the members 44 and and pressed upwardly to tensionthe springs 43, whereupon.

the trap door is closed to hold thebomb within the carrier. Thesprings a constantly tend to urge the bomboutwardly, sothat, whenthe trap dooris released, the bomb is ejected forcibly from thecarrier h The rearward bomb compartment, cover d by the trap door 39, is also provided with cross shafts 7 4|, -carrying arms 42',and bomb membus 44' for ejection of the bomb in precisely' the j same manner as described above, except that thearms 42' are inthe plane of'symmetryofthe bomb carrier rather than laterally spaced therefrom.

The mechanism for latching or looking the several trap. doors :is substantially the same for each bomb compartment, andcomprises a 'catclril the trap door'opposite to the hinged edge. The

pivoted at 51 to the partition. The catch at' wardly through the top of thebomb carrier and its lower end hasa hook 52 to engage the'edge of 4 catch-is extendedbeyond the pivot ii at its upper end to carry a camfollower 53. 'A. shaft 54 ismounted within-the y of the partition 38 for bulkhead 6t, rearwardly spaced from the bulksaid five teeth corresponding to a position of rotation and carries a plurality of cams angularly spaced, one from the other, and each adapted to engage with one of the cam followers 53 on one of the several catches 50. This shaft 54 extends rearwardly to the bulkhead 39 and, as is shown in Figs. 3, i2 and 13, carries a gear 55 just aft of said bulkhead. This gear meshes with a similar gear- 51 mounted on a shaft 58, said shaft extending rearwardly alongside the rearward single bomb compartment and has thereon a cam 55" engageable with a cam follower 53' carried by a catch 50' engageable'with the rearward single door 30. Incidentally, the rearward bomb compartment available through the trap door 30, is defined by vertically extending partitions'59 and on either side of the plane of symmetry of the carrier 2!. The, partition 59 extends from the bulkhead 39 rearwardly to the bulkhead 40, while the partition 69 extends rearwardly from a subhead 39, to the bulkhead 49, The shaft 58 is borne 'by the bulkhead 39, the sub-bulkhead 6|,

. and by a suitable outboard bearing 62 approximately halfway between the bulkheads 39 and 40.

The shaft 58 carriesfa ratchet wheel 63 .rearwardly of the gear 51, and a second ratchet wheel 64 forwardly of the gear, the former ratchet wheel having a plurality of teeth, and the latter ratchet wheel having but five teeth, one ofeach one or the other of the cams 55 for opening one or the other of the several trap doors. The ratchet wheel 64 is engaged by a pawl 55 spring-pressed thereagains't by means of a spring 66, said pawl 65 being pivoted on the bulkhead 39. The primary purpose of this pawl .65 is .to prevent re- .verse rotation of the shaft 53. rotation of the shaft 58 is induced by the engagement of a pawl 6! carried by ,an'arm 68 swingable upon 4 the shaft 58, 'said pawl 51 beingv pressed toward engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 63 by means of a spring 69 carried by the arm 88, Said arm 69 is slotted at ill at its outer end to receive apin H carried by an operatinglever I2 pivoted at I3 to the partition 59. Intermediate the length of'the lever 12 is pivoted a rod 14. By upward pulling upon the rod I4, the arm 68 is rocked around the shaft 58,the pawl 61 engaging the ratchet wheel 63'to turn said shaft, thereby operating onewor the other of the several cams 55. The geometrical relationship of this cam operating mechanism is so organized-thatwh'en the pull on therod," is

- exerted tothe' full extent as limited by a stop 15 on the lever'li, one-fifth'of a revolution of the shafts 54 and 59 is effected, so that succes-. sive pullsv on the --rod will release successively,

the five catches the several trap doors. -When any one trap door is released by operation .of a cam 55 upon a catch '59, the bomb ejecting 59 being' pressed by a spring 13. towardthe trap door locking position. The rod 14 is carried up- Briefiy g the operation of the bomb carrier imlt, successive pulls on the operating rod .14. serveto successivelyoperateeach one the latch themselves in place, each of the catches into. -the aircraft to any suitablefiinkage, ands terminates in a standard -bomb releasing lever.,

five door catches 50, through the medium of the mechanism shown in Fig. 13, and the cams carried by the shafts 54 and 58. Upon releasing of any one door, the spring-pressed ejecting arms 42 drive the bomb from the carrier. Thereafter, the trap door closes by virtue of its spring hinge, and latches itself..

For loading the carrier, the armorer simply pushes back each of the latch hooks 52 in turn, opens the corresponding trap door, inserts the miniature bomb, presses the bomb upwardly against the ejecting arms 42, and closes the door, whereupon the door latches itself and is ready for operation by the operating rod 14. By this construction, a very serviceable practice bomb carrier is attained, which may be easily loaded and inspected Inspection may be made of the release operating mechanism through the rearward trap door 30, while inspection of the ejecting mechanism may be readily effected by peering through the trap door for the proper bomb compartment.

While I have described my invention in detail in its present preferred embodiment, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art, after under standing my invention, that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. I aim in the appended claims to cover all such modifications and changes.

What is claimed is:

l. A bomb carrier for aircraft bombs-comprising an elongated streamline container of substantially circular cross-section, side by side doors in the main body of said container, and a single centrally disposed door in the tapering tail of said container, each said door providing a streamlined closure for anrindividual bomb compartment within said container, and means within each said compartment for forcibly ejecting a contained bomb through a predetermined path of travel upon opening of a respective door.

2. An aircraft bomb carrier comprising an elongated streamline container having a tapering rearward end, the carrier being of substantially circular cross-section, horizontally substantially coplanar means within said container for carrying a plurality of bombs and so arranged as to carry two bombs in side by side relationship in the forward part of the container, to carry two bombs in side by side relationship, tandem with the first pair, in the c'entral part of 'the container, and to carry a single bomb rearward of said second pair in the tapering rearward end of said container.

3. An aircraft bomb carrier comprising an elongated streamline container having a tapering rearward end, the carrier being of substantially circular cross-section, means within the forward part of said carrier for carrying bombs in side-by-side relation, means in said carrier rearward of said first named means forcarrying additional bombs in side-by-side relation, and means in said carrier inthe tapering rearward end thereof to carry a single bomb centrally of said carrier.

' CLEM G. TRIMBACH. 

